Shoulder Aligning + backbending + heart expanding workshop

Taught a shoulder alignment + backbending workshop today at Avenues Yoga. It was a blast. So grateful for all the yogis who braved the storm to practice. My students teach me so much.  

Theme: remembering that every moment, day, breath is an invitation to align fully to that which nourishes us. Ex: food: each meal is an opportunity to decide how you are going to nourish yourself and as a result of your action you will feel happier, more content or you will feel yucky. Same goes with the way we hold our self. Every moment is an opportunity to align your posture or asana pose to one that is healing and therapeutic or to collapse into bad posture and perpetuate the cycle. Now I am not saying I am perfect and am always in good posture or make the best food choices. But I am getting better and faster at noticing when I am out of balance and learning how to bring myself back into the flow of nourishment. When I am nourished I feel better physically, mentally, emotionally. The question is often posed, why practice yoga asana? My answer: To be happy. And on a really gross, dense level, when I practice good alignment on my mat my body hurts less, injuries heal and when my body is not in pain I am happier…

“I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness the astonishing light of your own being. “Hafiz.

Principles of emphasis:

·         side bodies long

·         inner body bright

·         arm bones back

·          tips of shoulder blades behind heart

·         Organic extension from heart

Heart Quality: curiosity, perseverance

Sequence:

1.      Tadasana, one arm zombie, manual plug ABB with other hand. (SLB, ABB,TSBBH, OE)

2.      Zombie plug both arm in

3.      Table (SBL, ABB, TSBBH, OE)

4.      Fish

5.      Upside down fish

6.      break down chataranga

7.      adho mukha shvanasana

8.      Mod. parsvakanasana

9.      Pigeon s.i.t.o arms

10.  L.L quad -> anjaniasana s.i.t.o

11.  Trikonasana

12.  Tadasana sbl-abb-tsbbh

13.  Trikonasana sbl-abb-tsbh

14.  Handstand at wall

a.       Table-> “L” SBL, ABB toward middle of room, TSBBH heart toward wall hallow armpits, organic energy extends into floor

b.      Against wall, ABB toward wall, TSBBH heart toward middle of room hollow arm pits, OE

15.  Pincha mayurasana

a.       Table ->“L” SBL, ABB toward middle of room, TSBBH heart toward wall hallow armpits, organic energy extends into floor

b.      Against wall, ABB toward wall, TSBBH heart toward middle of room hollow arm pits, OE

16.  Hero blanket  roll calves massage forearms

17.  Supine infraspinatus stretch internal rotation, other arm in diamond shape

18.  Pec Major/Minor stretch at wall 3x

a.       hand on wall face middle of room high five wall

b.      pinky finger on wall arm abducted and extended face away from hand

c.        pinky finger on wall arm bent in ½ diamond shape, face away from hand

19.  Natarajasana 2x

20.  Janusirsasana

21.  Pasarita janusirsasana (hold edge of matt and pull)

22.  Urdhva danurasana  (SBL, isometrically drag heels of hands away from feet, draw heels of hands laterally, and org extend from heart into floor)

23.  Gallopers twist

24.  Supta femur rooting

25.  Therapeutic : Mat under armpit create space

26.  Supta tadasana neck work

27.  shavasana